Narrative:

Ramp very congested. Very tight on wingtip clrncs on taxi-in and taxi-out. Before engine start I went downstairs to survey ramp for sufficient turn-out clearance, absence of intake foreign object damage, and a face-to-face meeting with ramp personnel. I requested they remove a truck that was too close. I also requested and received a 'ramp-all- clear' from otz operations before start. During the turn-out from the ramp, the left wingtip clearance became a concern due to stacks of cargo. I maintained full right displacement on nosewheel steering until clearance assured. Straightened out too late for left turn onto east ramp. Rolled out to the west. Jet blast damage occurred when wood struck an atx C-206 damaging the spinner and the leading edge of the wing. Upon notification of damage (in nome) I spoke with otz operations and my company's director of flight control and chief pilot giving all details. I filed the required company report and expect atx to send the bill for repairs to my company. I have heard of similar incidents recently at this airport. I have departed this ramp over 1 dozen times without any problems with jet blast. Company procedure is to turn right straighten out and then turn left to east ramp. The company says 'never make a 180 degree turn.' however, cargo was stacked so far out from the terminal (and so close-in to our aircraft) that I couldn't complete the required maneuver safely. I inadvertently made a 180 degree turn and some jet blast lifted a loose piece of wood and sent it flying. I did not check the atx ramp for foreign object damage, because I was expecting to do the required maneuver, not a '180.' the stacks of freight did not appear to be a problem during my ramp survey, but in the turn, which did not start well, the stacks loomed closer. No damage to my aircraft. No one was injured. This ramp is for a B-737-200, not the B-737-400 (my aircraft). The B-737-400 is longer and slower to turn out. There is no room for error. I should have had them move the cargo too.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON DEPARTING RAMP A BOARD WAS BLOWN INTO ANOTHER AIRPLANE.

Narrative: RAMP VERY CONGESTED. VERY TIGHT ON WINGTIP CLRNCS ON TAXI-IN AND TAXI-OUT. BEFORE ENG START I WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO SURVEY RAMP FOR SUFFICIENT TURN-OUT CLRNC, ABSENCE OF INTAKE FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE, AND A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING WITH RAMP PERSONNEL. I REQUESTED THEY REMOVE A TRUCK THAT WAS TOO CLOSE. I ALSO REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A 'RAMP-ALL- CLR' FROM OTZ OPS BEFORE START. DURING THE TURN-OUT FROM THE RAMP, THE L WINGTIP CLRNC BECAME A CONCERN DUE TO STACKS OF CARGO. I MAINTAINED FULL R DISPLACEMENT ON NOSEWHEEL STEERING UNTIL CLRNC ASSURED. STRAIGHTENED OUT TOO LATE FOR L TURN ONTO E RAMP. ROLLED OUT TO THE W. JET BLAST DAMAGE OCCURRED WHEN WOOD STRUCK AN ATX C-206 DAMAGING THE SPINNER AND THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. UPON NOTIFICATION OF DAMAGE (IN NOME) I SPOKE WITH OTZ OPS AND MY COMPANY'S DIRECTOR OF FLT CTL AND CHIEF PLT GIVING ALL DETAILS. I FILED THE REQUIRED COMPANY RPT AND EXPECT ATX TO SEND THE BILL FOR REPAIRS TO MY COMPANY. I HAVE HEARD OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS RECENTLY AT THIS ARPT. I HAVE DEPARTED THIS RAMP OVER 1 DOZEN TIMES WITHOUT ANY PROBS WITH JET BLAST. COMPANY PROC IS TO TURN R STRAIGHTEN OUT AND THEN TURN L TO E RAMP. THE COMPANY SAYS 'NEVER MAKE A 180 DEG TURN.' HOWEVER, CARGO WAS STACKED SO FAR OUT FROM THE TERMINAL (AND SO CLOSE-IN TO OUR ACFT) THAT I COULDN'T COMPLETE THE REQUIRED MANEUVER SAFELY. I INADVERTENTLY MADE A 180 DEG TURN AND SOME JET BLAST LIFTED A LOOSE PIECE OF WOOD AND SENT IT FLYING. I DID NOT CHK THE ATX RAMP FOR FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE, BECAUSE I WAS EXPECTING TO DO THE REQUIRED MANEUVER, NOT A '180.' THE STACKS OF FREIGHT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A PROB DURING MY RAMP SURVEY, BUT IN THE TURN, WHICH DID NOT START WELL, THE STACKS LOOMED CLOSER. NO DAMAGE TO MY ACFT. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THIS RAMP IS FOR A B-737-200, NOT THE B-737-400 (MY ACFT). THE B-737-400 IS LONGER AND SLOWER TO TURN OUT. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ERROR. I SHOULD HAVE HAD THEM MOVE THE CARGO TOO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.